Scaly Secrets and Chocolate Kisses
by GunnerGirl
Summary: Evra insists that he's not in love with Darren Shan but he can't help but notice how he feels fantastic whenever he's around him. It also doesn't help when Darren insists on teasing him constantly, what should Evra do for the best?


I crawled along, crouched on my haunches, Darren still didn't know I was behind him. I wound one end of the towel around my hand, counted silently to three and then lashed out, flicking Darren's thigh. He yelped and then whipped round and scowled at me.

"Evra that hurt!" he whined. I felt a bit guilty when I saw his watery eyes so I stood up and put my arms round his neck.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Look at your face! How can I stay angry at that?" Darren giggled and put his hands on my waist, they slid up my shirt and started up my back and I reluctantly pulled away from him.

"Darren we can't!" I hissed.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because…" I started but he leant forward and pressed his lips firmly against mine, silencing me. I was so stunned for a moment I didn't do anything, just enjoyed the feeling of his tongue exploring my mouth, then I regained my senses and stepped away from him.

"Darren! It's too risky, we might be seen!" I hissed.

"Well come back to the tent," Darren said, smiling.

"I can't I have chores, I have to milk my snake," I sighed.

"I could do that for you," Darren offered.

"Are you crazy, she'd bite your fingers off if you…" I stopped as realisation struck, Darren burst into a fit of giggles, he wasn't talking about the reptile who was asleep in Mr. Tall's van, he was talking about…

"Darren you're disgusting!" I squealed.

"You know you love me really," Darren laughed. I looked him up and down, his pale, pointed, clear face, his jet-black hair… yes, maybe I did love him really.

"Maybe I do…" I said absentmindedly, then I remembered that I was in denial, "No! No I don't! You're an immature gay little prick, now fuck off." That may have been a bit harsh but I was sick of him keep teasing me, tempting me, making me do things I knew I shouldn't.

"I preferred the first answer," Darren said, not to be got rid of that easily. "Come on Evra, it's not a crime… not anymore anyway. And besides who's going to know, come on, we both enjoy it, just a quickie!" he begged.

"I told you I'm busy," I snapped.

"I can wait, I'll meet you in the tent in half an hour," Darren said, smiling mischievously and before I could object he kissed me quickly on the cheek and then skipped away.

Half an hour later I was still debating with myself whether I should meet Darren or just leave him, maybe then he'd get the message that I wasn't interested. But that was the problem, I _was _interested, God he made me feel so special, so loved, a thousand miles high. Truska's full-length mirror was standing beside one of the trailer's and I looked hard at my reflection. I suppose it wouldn't matter if I was in love with Darren, I couldn't be any more abnormal anyway, I was a freak from a freak show, I had been since I was born. Evra Von the snake-boy! The freak! The poor mutant bastard who's parents took one look at him and dumped him in an orphanage! Not Evra Von, age fifteen, studying physics, geography and religious studies at school with normal friends and a Mum and Dad that he had rows with once in a while, but then he'd curl up on the sofa with them and watch Television. You'll never catch Evra Von bent over homework or e-mailing people on the computer. And then one day Evra Von won't be a snake-boy anymore, he'll be a snake-man, same act all over again. You won't see Evra Von chasing after sexy women and giving them a ride home in his car, shagging them on the back seat and then regretting it in the morning. It won't ever be Evra Von, Vet, wife and two kids, dies in bed of old age after quiet happy life in a comfy house, watching his children grow up, taking holidays to Barbados. I'm not normal, I'm not regular, I'm not even special, what can I do apart from being able to control snakes and stick my tongue up my nose? Nothing! I'm an ugly, scaly monster, the mere sight of me terrifies people and I've learnt to make a living out of that, but I don't enjoy it.

I was always miserable, though I never showed it, I was grateful that Mr. Tall rescued me from that circus where that bastard used to beat me and keep me in a glass cage to be snarled and spat at. Then Darren showed up when Larten Crepsley (vampire) came back to the show. I woke up one morning to find him standing stock still, my snake had wrapped herself around him in her sleep so I untangled her and we started talking and then we became really good friends. In fact I felt so comfortable around him that I told him about my background, my past, something that I didn't do very often as it hurt too much. That night I strung a couple of hammocks up in the tent and we lay up all night talking.

"It must be quite hard for you," I said after he'd told me about his life, "I've heard it's difficult enough being a half-vampire without having creepy Crepsley as a mentor!"

"I suppose I'll have to accept it eventually," Darren sighed, "But what about you?"

"What about me?" I asked, I knew what he meant but I was trying to side step the question, I didn't like to talk about how I felt.

"Evra, don't hide, I know you're not happy," Darren said gently.

"Nothing escapes you eh?" I said and then sighed, "I just sometimes feel that I would sell my soul just to be normal, I hate being like this… looking like this," I whispered and couldn't stop myself from crying, "I'm sorry," I sobbed, feeling like a complete idiot. Darren swung down out of his hammock and came and stood beside mine, I turned away, I didn't want him to see my tear-stained face.

"Evra, no matter what anyone else says, you are beautiful," he said, softly. I turned to him, surprised, nobody had ever said anything like that to me before. Darren was three years younger than me but his eyes showed wisdom and knowledge beyond their years. I managed a weak smile. Darren brushed my long green hair out of my eyes, thumbed away my tears, and then pulled himself up into the hammock with me. He rested his head on me and nuzzled into my chest like a kitten. I stiffened at first, stunned by the physical contact, then I relaxed and let him hug me and cuddle me. He stopped after a while and sat up, he stared at me with his large innocent eyes.

"You're the best person I've ever met Evra Von and don't you forget it," he said quietly and then he kissed me. It was the first time I'd ever been kissed by anyone and I couldn't help but enjoy it. I lay back and let Darren kiss me and touch me all over, I couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable, I knew I was shedding, it was that time of year, and I felt some of my scales come off as he rubbed his hands up and down my body, I was scared he might be grossed out but he didn't seem to mind a bit. That was the first night anybody had ever shown me real love, but it hadn't been the last, whenever I was down Darren always cheered me up, made me forget about everything, made me feel special. That's why I couldn't leave him now when he was waiting for me, he'd helped me out so many times.

I entered the tent to find Darren standing there, obviously waiting for me. He was naked from the waist up, wearing nothing but a pair of my old jeans, they were a bit big for him but it didn't matter as he wouldn't be wearing them for much longer. He had something held behind his back and his eyes were glittering, I knew he was up to something.

"What have you got?" I asked.

"Nothing," he lied.

"It's boiling in here, have you got the heaters on?" I asked.

"No," he replied. I pulled my shirt off and threw it in a heap on the floor.

"Have you seen…" I began but Darren launched himself at me and through a jug of warm, brown liquid all over me.

"Yuck! Darren what is that!" I squealed. I could feel it getting between my scales, it would be a nightmare to clean.

"It's melted chocolate," Darren said, he threw the empty jug over his shoulder, jumped on me, knocking me to the ground, and then set about licking the chocolate off. I couldn't help but laugh as he tickled me and rubbed his head against my body, smearing his own face with chocolate. Darren started to undo my trousers as he licked around my hips and I stopped laughing.

"You didn't get any down there," I said, smiling uncertainly.

"Maybe I want to lick it anyway," he replied, really I should have pushed him off of me and got dressed again but I couldn't ignore the fire that was burning within my heart and stomach, making me feel on top of the world. Nobody could hurt me when I was with Darren, not anybody. Darren came up and nibbled briefly on my ear while he was fiddling with my trousers, by this point I was too high to recall much of what happened afterwards. I can vaguely remember Darren slipping down my pants, his head disappearing southward, his hands grasping my scaly thighs tightly and then the most wonderful feeling I had felt in a long, long time. We both groaned in unison and I laid back, my eyes closed and my head rolling gently on the canvas floor, swaying with pleasure.

After a while Darren's head reappeared, he spat the contents of his mouth onto the ground and then we kissed for a very long time. I wrapped my arms around him and held on tight, I never wanted this to end, I was in Paradise. I sucked happily at Darren's neck, his skin was warm and soft and felt powdery, unlike mine which was dry and slippery and bumpy. The ground was littered with fallen scales from all the physical activity I had been doing but I no longer cared, I didn't give a fuck if I was shedding, right then I wouldn't have minded if I'd spontaneously combust! I ripped my trousers away from Darren, it was my turn to pay him back, so I set to work.

Three hours later we were both laid on the floor, panting, absolutely exhausted. Darren looked at his watch and sat up.

"Fucking hell Evra, it's gone midnight!" he growled.

"Good God," I murmured and stood up. I pulled on my pants and started to string the hammocks up.

"Do you want to come in with me tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah, if that's ok," Darren yawned.

"

Of course it is," I said, smiling. I finished with the hammock, knelt opposite Darren, kissed him goodnight, and then climbed up to bed. Darren pulled himself up after me and we went to sleep, nestled in each other's embrace.


End file.
